What is with those Guys?
by Anonymousness
Summary: Tongue-in-cheek romantic drama. Jin is a reserved, chivalrous gentlemen and Mugen is a jerk with no conscience or restraint… right? Fuu will find out five years later, but not before getting herself into ALL sorts of trouble. Let the plot twists begin!
1. Prologue

Just thought I would throw this out there, just for the hell of it. Rated T mainly for language, but there's also some violence and adult themes.

I don't own the series so please do not sue

It just gave me the urge to write something new

That disclaimer was quick

So now on with the fic

And please don't forget to review!

* * *

Near Nagasaki, some time before the discovery of the Sun Flower Samurai...

She wrung out her hair as she walked back to the room. She had used the pink ribbon from her obi to crudely tie her kimono shut, she didn't bother with tying the obi, since she fully intended to go to bed as soon as she got to the room. _Jin will be asleep, and Mugen will still be out, as usual_, she thought. She wasn't too surprised when she saw Mugen in the room. He sat against the screen, head back and eyes half closed. His eyes opened when he heard the rustle of Fuu's kimono.

"Oh, its you," she sneered, irritated by the idea of having to go to sleep alone with him.

"You had a bath?" he said, with a smirk.

"Yeah, you should try it someday."

"I know you were thinking sexy things about me the whole time," he said in a vulgar, suggestive tone.

"As if_!" I thought about Jin a little too. "_You are such an asshole!" she shrieked, quite upset at his astuteness

"Yep," he said smugly.

Fuu could smell the booze on him from across the small room.

"Ugh, you're drunk!"

"Yep," he repeated, this time his eyes locked on hers, and didn't leave them. Somehow his stare struck her as more impudent than what he had said. It was some seconds before she realized that she was staring right back at him. When she finally broke the stare, he stood with some difficulty, using the frame of the screen to pull himself up. He walked toward her, his intentions becoming apparent.

"Sleep it off you jerk!"

"I've been wantin' to do this for a while," he said with a sly smile.

He threw one hand behind her waist with the all the quickness he displayed when fighting.

"Get your hands off me!" she screamed, but didn't struggle.

He pulled her in, holding her tightly against him. Both her thoughts and heart were racing_. I hope my ribbon holds out, if my kimono falls off, there'll be no stopping him. Calm down, he's so drunk, he'll probably pass out before he can do anything that I'll really regret._ His other arm reached around the back of her head, pulling her face toward him_. Great, my first kiss is going to be with a stinky drunken pirate!_ Instead of pulling her in for the lustful kiss she expected, he pressed her face against his shoulder and neck.

_"Wha-"_

"Shut up Fuu," he mumbled into her damp hair, still holding her against him, perfectly still_. Hah, he was probably going to ram his tongue down my throat, but he is so drunk, he forgot what he was doing,_ she thought, with her eyes wide open.

She didn't know how long he held her like that, it could have been fifteen seconds or fifteen minutes. She wasn't sure when it was that she closed her eyes and put her arms around him.

"Fuu," he said at full volume, even though his mouth was right next to her ear.

"Yes?" she said, breathlessly.

"I'm going to bed." With that he released her, and walked across the room without a backward glance, fell onto his futon like a tree, and was sound asleep within seconds.

_What the hell was that all about?_ she pondered for a moment, before she whirled around at the sound of a sword being sheathed

_Figures he'd be standing in the doorway, as if that wasn't awkward enough!_

He stood there for a moment, his eyebrows very slightly raised.

"I heard you scream," he said flatly.

_"I-I… We…" _Fuu struggled to find an answer to the question written on his face_. It would be so much simpler if Jin saw us making out or doing something even naughtier, then the explanation would be easy - Mugen is a pervert with no self-control._ She couldn't explain what had just happened, even to herself, let alone Jin.

"It's not what you think!" she blurted out.

Jin gave a very brief, heartless chuckle by exhaling sharply out his nose. Fuu assumed this just meant he didn't believe her, but it was also because he found her explanation so cliché.

He walked past her to his futon. "Its none of my business," he said, without turning. He then inconsiderately put out the only light in the room, leaving Fuu standing alone in the dark.

_What is with those guys? It's unlike Jin to be rude and why was his sword drawn? How long was Jin standing there? Did Mugen see him? Could Mugen even see the door from where he was standing?_

She imagined the two men looking at each other challengingly, Jin from the door and Mugen from her shoulder. She raised her arms out in front of her, feeling her way to the wall.

_No, it couldn't be. Jin just came because he owes his life to me and has to protect me. Mugen probably had every intention of doing nasty things to me, but stopped because Jin was standing there. Yes, I'm sure that's it. After all, Jin is just an honorable guy and Mugen is a pervert with no self-control._

She slowly descended onto her futon.

_Or are they?_

Five years later they had not changed, though it might have seemed otherwise.


	2. Chapter 2

This was originally going to be a one shot, but I got some requests to continue it, so I jumping on the post series band wagon…

* * *

Five years later, in Nagasaki

_Don't panic Fuu, if you learned anything from that journey, it's that there's a way out of every jam. Just stay cool and think. I am so screwed. Hah, those two could have bailed me out, what I would give to have them here, no, screw Jin, I need Mugen._ She pressed her back against the wall, using a red wooden pillar as cover. She hastily slipped out of her sandals and loosened her threadbare, slightly blood-spattered kimono, enabling her to run. _Okay, what would Mugen do?_

"Block all the exits so the murderer cannot escape. That way! Over there!" The shouts came from the other end of the teahouse. _There is no way I am just running out the front door. _She ran in the first door she found, where she saw a lone, elegant lady, dressed in a kimono of deep purple silk with images of white cranes. _She's probably a geisha._ The lady turned to Fuu.

"Are _you_ the one who is going to play tonight?" the lady asked, confused.

"Yes." Fuu lied meekly, as she walked to the window and casually looked down at the court yard, two stories below. She couldn't jump that far. She turned her back to the lady, reached into her kimono and carefully pulled out Momo. She placed her pet on her palm, and Momo squeaked as she reached her hand out the window, and gently shook it, forcing Momo to fly in order to keep from falling. _Sorry Momo, just because I'm probably going down doesn't mean you have to go down with me. Fly, we'll meet again if I get out of this._ Fuu held back her tears as she walked over to the lady and tried to gracefully kneel beside her.

The lady looked at Fuu. "Did you bring your shamisen?"

"Um, I'll go get it in a minute."

"What are you wearing?" the lady asked, condescendingly.

"Oh this, um, this is my lucky kimono, its kind of worn out because I wear it so much." Fuu continued, not sure how much longer she could keep this up.

"What happened to your hair?"

_Okay, that's enough girl talk. _"Have you ever saved someone's life?" Fuu asked, her patience having run out. _C'mon, just pretend your Mugen._

"What? Um, no I - ." Before the lady could finish, Fuu was already behind her, holding her tanto to the lady's neck. _What would Mugen say?_

"Listen bitch! Guys don't like to kill broads 'cause its bad form, but I am a broad so I don't give a shit! I already killed someone today and you may be next!" _What do I say next? I can only imagine threats and cursing from Mugen. Okay, what would Jin say?_

"Do exactly as I say and your chances for survival will increase substantially," Fuu whispered forcefully.

The lady gave a terrified whimper, indicating that she understood.

_Okay you two, what do I do next?_


	3. Chapter 3

"Come out murderer! We know you're in there!"

"I have a hostage!" Fuu shouted, then slapped the lady, causing her to let out a pitiful yelp.

The small mob considered this for a moment, and decided that a lie to save someone's life was no dishonor.

"Send the hostage out, and your life will be spared!"

"Agreed!" shrieked Fuu, her back against the wall beside the door. _Stay cool._

The mob waited eagerly.

"Okay, I'm sending her out!" _Stay cool._

The mob hushed in anticipation, and finally saw an elegantly dressed, but terrified lady emerge and walk slowly toward them. They asked if she was hurt and she, still shaking in fear, assured them she was not, and she simply wished to go home, an understandable request. She thanked them for their heroism and calmly walked away as they prepared to storm the room where their murderer was lurking. The whole mob burst in the door, some of them actually just busting through the screen, their swords drawn, ready for the kill, only to find the geisha-lady in her underwear, bound and gagged with Fuu's tattered kimono.

Fuu smirked as she hastily walked down the stairs. _Men never notice anything! My hairdo is way too crappy for a geisha! Hey, this is a really expensive kimono, if I get out of this, it'll be a nice bonus, but where the hell will I wear it too? I should probably just - Damn, focus Fuu, you're not out of this yet._

Just as she walked passed the large men standing by the threshold of the teahouse's front door, a woman's voice called after her.

"You there, girl! What do you think you are doing, wearing that? That is my _little sister's_ best kimono, I would know it anywhere!"

_Shut up, can't you see I've almost actually pulled this off!_

"Stop, thief! Stop her, she is getting away!"

Fuu sensed that disguise had gone out of fashion.

_Okay, enough of this bullshit._ She kicked off the awkward, very high heel shoes and her legs stretched as she began to run, but she didn't get more than a few feet before she tripped over the restrictive formal kimono, falling flat on her face.

"Damn!" she whimpered.

She grimaced and pounded the ground with her fist a moment before the men tackled her.


	4. Chapter 4

Fuu buried her face in her knees, now covered by some tattered men's clothes, since naturally they hadn't let her keep the fancy kimono. Everything about the small jail was uncomfortable, from the coldness of the stone floor that seemed to seep through the bottom of her clothes to the leers and calls of the drunken men in the other cell that made her skin crawl. The idea that she would eventually have to relieve herself in front of them had her none too pleased either. However, the thing that made her most uncomfortable was her own thoughts.

_Well_ _you've really done it now. Your little scheme made some extra cash for a while, but then you had to panic and kill someone. If that's not bad enough, you had to get caught, just because you're you were a spaz! What would mom think? A samurai's daughter tripping over a fancy kimono. Well, realistically she would probably be more upset at the steeling and murder, but she would say that a samurai's daughter should be graceful and poised. At least I'll be executed and won't have to deal with my other predicament. Wait, I am a horrible person to think something like that. I really am a horrible person, I killed someone. I mean that guy was an ass, but he probably didn't deserve to die. I wonder if he had a family. That guy didn't really suffer, but how will his family feel when they find out? That guy was an ass and he would have hurt me, so I guess he maybe slightly deserved it, but his family never did anything to me, and I have caused suffering for them. I wonder if they even know he's not coming home._

She was distracted from her misery by some kind of commotion near the entrance of the jail. Several voices were shouting and she heard the sound of breaking pottery. _Sounds like someone doesn't want to go quietly._ As the commotion neared, she heard some sort of furniture tip over, and that there was at least ten men yelling. She made out one voice, bellowing and growling over the others. _No_, _it can't be. My life isn't that weird, and besides, he's living in Edo, why would he be all the way out here?_ The origin of the gruff obscenities was now in the jail, though not yet in sight. She could hear the sounds of wood and steel scraping and banging against the stone floor.

"You ugly wads of saggy horse balls! I could kill every damn one of if you just took me on three at a time!"

_I'll be damned, my life is that weird, _she thought, laughing in spite of herself.

He continued to bellow his creative obscenities as they forced him into the cell with the other men, but she didn't need to see his face before she knew who it had to be. _No one swears quite like him._


	5. Chapter 5

"Damn it!"

Mugen punched the bars on the inside of the cell door with the side of his fist. He then leaned against the bars that separated the men's cell from Fuu's and quickly collapsed into a sitting position with his back up against it. His head hit his palm with a slap as he grimaced and sulked over having bad enough luck to get arrested.

Fuu casually got up and sat behind him, setting her back up against his through the bars.

"You swear so loud, I could hear you coming from a mile away, and was that breaking pottery I heard?" she said casually.

"Shut up you dumb broad, I have a bitch of a hangover so I don't need a bitch bitchin' at me."

"You know Mugen, I'm not surprised to see you here, but I bet you are sure surprised to see me," said Fuu.

"What the hell?" he said, turning to look over his shoulder towards Fuu. "No way." He said, squinting at her. "This is one weird-assed hangover."

"No, its just me, Fuu," she said cheerfully.

"Huh," he grunted as he turned his head back to its forward facing position.

"What are you in for?" asked Fuu.

"What am I not in for?" he said, somewhat matter-of-factly, still not bothering to look at her.

"So girlie, what did they pick _you_ up for? Turnin' tricks?"

_That's Mugen alright. _"You're a jerk!"

"You're a bitch!"

"You're a dick!"

"You're a whore!"

"So's your mom!"

"Yeah she probably was!"

"Yeah well -" She was caught off guard by his straightforwardness, and realized that the volley of insults had ended in her favor.

"I win! I win!" she giggled excitedly, softly clapping her hands.

He decided to change the subject so as to take the focus off his defeat. He looked over his shoulder at her again.

"So seriously, what'd they haul you in for?"

"I'll have you know I was arrested for murder," she declared, trying to sound proud of herself.

"Bullshit."

"It's true!"

"You 'spect me to believe that shit? What'd they really pick you up for?" said Mugen, impatiently.

"Murder!"

"Okay, who'd you kill?" said the skeptical pirate.

"That's kind of a long story."

"I don't have anything better to do. Do you?" he barked.


	6. Chapter 6

_I'll try to use the lingo, he'll be more impressed that way. _"Well, I was pulling this job and -"

"Wait, did I hear you right? Did you say you were pulling a job?" Mugen interrupted.

"Yes I was."

"Since when do _you_ pull jobs?"

"Will you just shut up and let me talk?" she snapped. "It's hard to get by on a waitress's pay, so I started stealing from customers, and I was good at it too."

"I bet you only got away with it cause they were checking out your rack," said Mugen, referring to Fuu's increased physical maturity.

"Shut up," she said, automatically.

Fuu continued. "Anyway, after a while, when I got good, I started lifting from the owners too, ya know, just skimming off some of the profits."

Mugen idly scratched his chin. "Sounds like a pretty good scam."

"Yeah, until yesterday night. I had slipped into the boss's office to raid his stash, when the temperamental asshole of a manager, who had been harassing me all day, walked in and caught me. I tried to run, but he grabbed me, I tried to get away, but he wouldn't let go. I panicked." She paused. " I grabbed my tanto and swung it at him." She paused again, tears welling up in her eyes. She began pleading with her own conscience. "I just wanted to scare him enough so he would let me go! I didn't mean too…" She sighed, trying to calm herself. "But I hit him in the throat."

"You actually wasted him?" said Mugen, impressed.

"Yeah," said Fuu, holding back her tears.

"Nice!"

"No it's not nice, cause now I'll be sentenced to death!" The bleakness of her current reality came flooding in and she started sobbing uncontrollably into her knees. Mugen looked over his shoulder at her.

She noticed a tan hand with a tattooed wrist slip through the bars and rest on the floor beside her, palm up. The fingers twitched, beckoning her. Through her tears, she felt a smile take one side of her face. She placed her hand on his, his fingers gently closed around hers.

"You're sweet," she whispered through her now subsiding tears.

"Eh, just tryin' to shut you up. You crying's obnoxious"


	7. Chapter 7

Eventually they both fell asleep without ending the subtle embrace.

A few hours later, the two day guards left and were replaced by the one night guard. The large, balding man walked in and examined the prisoners.

"Why is everyone crammed into one cell? We have two," the balding guard asked himself aloud. His loud, unusually shrill voice woke Fuu. She unintentionally pulled her hand from Mugen's to rub the sleep from her eyes.

"Oh, I see." He had answered his own question when he noticed Fuu huddled in the corner of the nearly empty cell. He very slowly looked her over.

"You're a cute little number." He smirked. Fuu looked up.

_Why do I only attract scumbags?_

"I think its time to take advantage of one of this job's fringe benefits."

_I don't like where this is going._

He walked towards Fuu's cell door.

"Don't even think about it you creep!" she shrieked. Mugen woke up, naturally assuming she was talking to him.

"C'mon man, leave her alone," Mugen groaned as he woke.

"I'll just open up this cell and we can get better acquainted." He unlocked the cell.

She instinctively backed away from her approaching attacker. Mugen jumped to his feet and began yelling.

"Hey, you touch her and I swear I'll rip off your nuts and ram them down your throat with your own fist!"

"Shut up or you'll be next!" The balding man snickered, as he slowly neared her. Of course, Mugen continued shouting, as he had never obeyed a command to shut up in his life.

She had backed up all the way to wall and he was now close for her to run past him. Cornered.

Mugen continued to yell out all manner of disturbing promises of violence, but the moment the guard touched her, his threats started to become muddled and incoherent. By the time the guard had knocked her to the floor and started pulling at her clothes, his threats had become completely unintelligible and were replaced by savage howls and roars, and none of them sounded completely human. The frustration of seeing her being hurt and being powerless to stop it had sent him into a realm beyond rage. He franticly paced and punched the bars as he roared. He was so profoundly aggravated and upset, probably more at his own helplessness than hers; he actually might have cried as well if it had not become physically impossible over the years.

Fuu was making a valiant attempt at fending off her attacker. She kicked, she hit, she punched, she pushed, she scratched, she bit, but he was so much bigger and physically stronger than she was. Though her efforts were somewhat effective at delaying the man from getting what he was after, she couldn't manage to get him off of her.

_What would Mugen do? What would Mugen do? What would…_

_Screw Mugen, what would I do?_


	8. Chapter 8

_What would Fuu do?_

_What would I do?_

_I would hit him with my shoe._

_But my shoes are still back at the teahouse._

"Gimmie a shoe!" she screamed as she struggled underneath the large guard.

Mugen didn't seem to hear her, it seemed that his rage had caused him to lose touch with reality. That or he couldn't hear her over his own yelling.

"A shoe damn it! A shoe!"

He continued to pace and howl. He still seemed to be possessed by some inner demon, but when his eyes finally met hers, he seemed to partially snap out of it, regaining his ability to perceive language if not his sanity.

"Mugen! Gimmie a shoe!"

With a flick of his foot, his geta flew off and slid across the stone floor towards Fuu. Once she had managed to free one of her hands from the guard's grasp, she slipped her hand into the shoe and hit him over the head with it with as much force as she could muster. The guard rolled off of her, limp as a noodle. Mugen was able to cool down, the bizarre feral sneer faded from his face.

For a few seconds, Fuu just lay there, stunned and traumatized, but her distress was soon overpowered by her sense of pride at vanquishing such a despicable foe.

"That's what Fuu would do!" she declared victoriously as she stood and righted her clothes.

She looked down at her attacker and saw the bloodied dent in the side of his head The man's chest had ceased to rise and fall.

_He's dead._

_Now that guy really deserved it._

_Wow, I killed someone with a shoe. Well, those are some bad assed shoes._

"Holy shit! You killed the bastard!" Mugen commended, both impressed and astonished.

"Why is it such a big deal when I kill someone? You kill people all the time!"

"Yeah, but I'm a _bad_ guy."

"Who says I'm a _good_ girl?" she shot back. Mugen smirked. Their eyes locked.

_Wait, I didn't mean that to sound so suggestive! _

"I didn't mean it _that _way so don't look at me like that!"

"You know you love it." He continued his devilish stare for a moment, but then his focus seemed to return to the situation at hand.

"Gimmie my shoe!" he demanded.

She flinched as she looked at the disgusting, sweat stained, mud encrusted geta, still on her hand. _I bet it was the smell that really killed that guy. _She pinched the strap and grimaced as she removed it. _Damn, how long has he been wearing this thing? Boy if this shoe could talk … … It would probably say "Kill meeeee! Pleeease kill meeeeee!" _

She gingerly handed it back to Mugen.

"Thanks." He swiped it out of her hand.

"Let's just get out of here." She grabbed the keys from the dead guard, pushed open the door of her already unlocked cell.

"Okay boys, stay out of trouble!" she shouted triumphantly as she unlocked and opened the other cell. The men pushed and shoved their way out the small opening. _Oh yeah, just go ahead and trample the one who just freed all your sorry asses!_

Fuu would likely have been crushed by the stampede if Mugen hadn't seized her wrist and pulled her to safety, holding her out of harm's way until they were the last ones left in the jail. They grabbed their respective weapons from the front desk and ran off into the night, Mugen still clutching her wrist.

As they ran, Fuu placed her free hand on her lower belly.

_You just lucked out, little fellah._


	9. Chapter 9

The only sound that could be heard was the subtle rhythmic crunch of fallen leaves. There was nearly no moon that night, and the treetops shielded them from what little light that was produced by the stars and the glowing, crescent sliver. Mugen seemed to have an easy enough time navigating through the darkness, he had developed excellent night vision in his days of piracy, as he and his cohorts often took their prey at night. For Fuu, everything was just pitch black and the sensory deprivation made her uncomfortable, so she elected to start talking.

"It's so dark I can't see a thing, I have no idea where you're even standing."

"If you cant see me, then neither can anyone who might be lookin' for us," said Mugen, as if it should be obvious to anybody.

"Do you think I could hold your hand, just so I would know where I was going?" she asked, trying not to sound bashful, but not quite succeeding.

"Hell no, if you trip you'll take me down with you."

"But I really have no idea where I'm going, can't we -"

"How many times have _you_ been on the lamb?"

Fuu was silent while she tried to think of a retort.

"That's what I thought, now quit bitchin' or you're on your own."

Fuu grinned. "You're only on the lamb cause _I_ broke _you_ out."

"Yeah? Well if it wasn't for my shoe you'd be full of_ eau de prison guard!_"

"Oh gee thanks Mugen's shoe!" She said in an exaggeratedly feminine voice. "Oh Mugen's shoe, you're my hero! What would I do without Mugen's shoe to protect me!"

Mugen stopped dead in his tracks. The remark actually cut him deeply; he already felt bad enough for not being able to protect her in a more direct way, he didn't need it rubbed in his face.

He was silent. This combined with the lack of sound from his footsteps made Fuu nervous.

"Mugen?"

He didn't answer.

"Mugen?"

Still nothing. _Oh shit, did I piss him off so much that he left? _

"Mugen!" she cried, this time the panic was audible in her voice.

"What? What do you want?" he shouted angrily.

"I'm sorry, I just have no idea where you are."

She felt his hand slap against her back and grasp her shoulder. She placed one of her hands over it, and reached out into the darkness with the other, still not sure exactly where he was. Her palm found his cheek and rested on the warm prickles. She couldn't see it, but his eyes had closed. They stood there, completely absorbed by each other's touch.

Mugen snapped out of it first.

His arms slapped down onto his sides. The sound startled Fuu, who had completely forgotten where she was.

"I'm right here so quit your damn whining." He paused. "Look, walking in the dark is easy, just see with your feet." The sound of the rhythmic crunches returned. She began walking as well.

"How do I see with my feet?"

"Just do it and shut up."

Fuu immediately tripped and fell face first in the dirt.

"Damn you're helpless," he muttered, helping her up.

"Yeah I am," Fuu whispered pitifully.

Mugen let out a frustrated groan. "I told you, see with your feet, ya know, don't try ta' use your eyes, try to feel the ground with your feet, usually you can tell if you're about to trip on shit."

They continued walking, Fuu, now with greater ease.

"Mugen, where are we going anyway?"

"Edo."

"Why Edo?"

"There isn't a cop in Edo that doesn't flinch whenever they hear someone say _the Ryukyuen_. Me and them have a truce, they let me be and I let them live."

"Why were you in Nagasaki?"

"None of your business," he snapped. "Why the hell were you in Nagasaki? You were living in Edo too when I ran into you like two months ago."

"I moved a few weeks ago. I went through a weird breakup and wanted to get a new start."

"What do you mean 'weird breakup'?" asked Mugen, trying to hide his genuine interest in the subject.

"I found out he was married."

"Sucks," he said sincerely, though not passionately. It was all he could think of to say.

The silence resumed.

"Mugen?"

"What?"

"Will you stay with me all the way to Edo?"

"Not if you keep asking dumb questions that you already know the answer to."


	10. Chapter 10

It had been almost two weeks since Mugen and Fuu arrived in Edo together. She had found a cheap, but acceptable apartment, and Mugen had helped set her up with a job at one of his hangouts. He would come by every night around the time her shift ended, claiming this was only a coincidence, but she knew better. Generally she would talk and he would drink, then she would get tired and go home and he would stay and drink a bit more. This had become their routine over the last several days.

That night, the bar had been particularly busy, it seemed that the patrons were standing almost shoulder to shoulder. Fuu and Mugen both managed to find seats at the bar though, since Fuu was a pretty young lady and Mugen was probably the best known, and thus most feared, sword-for-hire in that part of the city. That night Mugen seemed to be holding back on the drinking.  
Since the blare of the crowd prevented any meaningful conversation and it was unbearably hot inside, Fuu decided to go home a bit earlier than usual. She bid Mugen goodbye and maneuvered her way through the crowd and to the door.

As soon as she had stepped outside, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of the refreshingly brisk evening air. She stretched her arms up over her head so as to allow some of the cool air to enter into the sleeves of her kimono, slowly lowered them and took another deep breath of the fresh air as she opened her eyes. She was surprised to find Mugen standing in front of her, his toes about six inches from hers.

He put his hand on her shoulder and bent over slightly, so as to look her in the eye from her own level. _There's that look again._

"So, can I walk you home?" he said, trying to sound casual.

"I can take care of myself, thank you," replied Fuu, feigning snobbishness.

He leaned closer to her face. "I didn't say you couldn't," he said, his voice deepening.

"Then why do you want to walk me home?" she asked, trying to be coy.

"I just want to get in your -" He paused and smirked at her suggestively from about two inches from her face. "- apartment."

_I just noticed, he doesn't have the usual booze and b.o. smell anymore, he must have actually taken a bath. Good Gods, I think he shaved too._

"Somehow I think that means something different to you than it does to me," she said, turning away to hide her blush.

He cupped her chin with his hand and turned her head so they would be once again looking eye-to-eye, his lips now only an inch away from hers. "There's only one way to find out."

The distance very slowly closed.

Just as his head began to tilt, she took a step back.

"Okay!" she said enthusiastically

He let out a frustrated grunt at the fact that she had foiled his kiss, but then grinned widely when he realized she had actually agreed to take him home.

_Hey, what's the worst that could happen? I have no virginity to loose and I'm already a little pregnant. Might as well have a good time. Who am I kidding? I've had a major thing for him for years. Maybe even more than a thing. Heh, I'll bet he's a demon in the sack._ Her blush deepened as her mind began to wander into the realm of sensual pleasures._ There's always been sexual tension between Mugen and me, I think it's time to relieve it._

"'Kay," said Mugen, struggling to regain his usual indifferent expression. "But I have to stop somewhere on the way."

_A scummy pervert pirate with a crush. This should be interesting._


	11. Chapter 11

Mugen and Fuu made their way through the dim streets of Edo. Both were silent, and both were lost in thought, Mugen quite understandably wondering if he was finally going to score with her, and Fuu quite understandably wondering if that was a good idea.

_Fuu, make sure to think this through completely, it's not too late to tell him to buzz off._

_Think this through._

_Why are you doing this?  
That's easy. Because I have a massive crush on him_

_Why do you have a massive crush on him?_

_Okay, that's a harder one. I guess he has rescued me a few times, but that's not why. Just because he saved my ass doesn't mean I have to give him any of it..._

_Just remember, the last man you got in bed with seemed like a nice, dependable guy but turned out to be a scummy bastard. _

_Heh, I already know that Mugen is a scummy bastard. _

_No expectations, no disappointments -_

Her reflections ended abruptly when Mugen stopped at the front door of a small but well kept house.

"This is where I gotta stop, it'll just take a minute."

He walked in and kicked off his shoes as if he lived there.

"C'mon." He leaned his head to the side, motioning for Fuu to enter as well.

"Yo." He announced his presence. A grey haired, but middle-aged man quickly strode into the room.

"Hey Mugen, how's business?" the man asked cordially.

"Same ole'."

"That crappy huh? That's exactly why I retired."

A tall woman, presumably the man's wife, quickly joined him.

"Hey Mugen, you want a drink I guess," she said cheerfully.

Before he could answer, a stampede of small children entered the room. The four kids appeared to range in age from about two to seven, the two eldest were boys, the younger, a girl, and the youngest, a boy. They eagerly encircled Mugen.

"Mugen! Mugen! Show us your skills! Show us your skills!" demanded the children in unison.

"I'll take a rain check on that drink," he shouted so as to be heard over the voices of the children.

"Okay! Stand back or you might get chopped in half!" Mugen declared, the kids immediately jumped away. Fuu, confused, followed suit. Mugen then proceeded to draw his sword and dramatically swing it around, showing his most visually and aesthetically impressive moves. The children laughed and cheered.

_Wow, Mugen must be even more of a ladies' man than I thought, he must actually know that there's almost nothing sexier to a women than a man who's good with kids._

"Okay, Okay, enough showboating!" laughed the middle-aged man, Mugen put away his sword. "Its bed time anyway." The children whined and filed out the door into the next room.

"Not before I say hi to this guy!" said Mugen, seizing the youngest boy from the line of exiting children.

He held the young boy to his hip.

"Sup, squirt?" he asked, rubbing the child's head.

The child's only answer was a smile.

"You wanna' be a big tall scary pirate?" Mugen asked, with a grin.

"No," said the boy, in an oddly enthusiastic tone for a negative answer. Mugen turned to Fuu.

"The little weirdo says no to everything these days, even when he means yes, and trust me, he means yes." He threw the child up into the air, caught him and placed him on his shoulders, the boy straddled his neck. Mugen pulled out his dagger, which was thankfully tightly sheathed, and handed it to the boy. The boy then wildly swung Mugen's _ace in the hole_ around and laughed delightedly while Mugen cycled through a few fighting stances and made his battle grunts.

_That is so incredibly cute! I mean, um, wow, he's good._

"Mugen I really don't think that's safe!" the woman said nervously.

"Eh, he'll be okay, Kaito's a bad ass." Mugen let the boy continue to slice the air beside his head for a few seconds.

Mugen lifted the boy off his shoulders and put him down. "Alright squirt, to bed with ya." He sent the boy off with a pat on the back.

"He'll never get to sleep after that," said the woman, sounding frustrated, but not displeased. Mugen paid no attention to her as he dropped several coins in to the middle-aged man's hand.

"That should do ya, I'm off."

"Nice to meet you!" Fuu said over her shoulder, stumbling as Mugen pulled her out the door.


	12. Chapter 12

They continued on their way to Fuu's apartment.

"You were really sweet with those kids," Fuu said softly.

"Yeah, well, the little one's mine," he said quite matter-of-factly.

Fuu stared at him in surprise. _His? I should have guessed by the name. Of course Mugen would name his kid after the ocean and the sake dipper. _

Mugen sensed that an explanation was in order.

"I screwed some slut a few years ago and thought nothin' of it until a few months later I heard that she was tellin' everyone that she was knocked up with my kid." Mugen causally explained. "I asked her what she was gonna do with it, and she said she was gonna dump it on the side of the road or somthin'. Now I know damn well that the chances of that kid actually bein' mine are about twenty to one at best, but I still couldn't let him get abandoned and shit."

Mugen's tone turned defensive. "I mean, not that I care about that kind of shit, if the thing had been a little older, I would've let the little bastard fend for himself, but it was a freakin baby. Can't just leave a baby; I mean, even an asshole like me has some – er, you know, when you know you shouldn't do something because it's just way past _wrong. _So I told her I'd take 'em." He chuckled softly to himself. "But, ya know, what the hell am _I_ gonna do with a baby? So I found an old friend who had gone straight and turned all _family man_. He owed me a really big favor so I asked him and his lady to take care of the little squirt along with their kids. I drop in on 'em and pay 'em for expenses and shit." He chuckled to himself again. "I'll be damned if the little bastard hasn't grown on me."

_I never would have believed it if I didn't see it for myself. Maybe it'll be the opposite with Mugen, maybe he seems like a scummy bastard but he's actually a nice guy._

_No. Fuu, don't even think that._

_Remember what happened last time you got your hopes up about a guy._

"Hey, isn't this your place?" he asked, gesturing to a door that they had just passed.

"Oh, um, yeah," said Fuu, who had become so distracted by the possible implications of Mugen's story, she had forgot all about the implications of inviting him back to her place. She silently led him up the stairs and to her door and took a deep breath as she slid it open. She lit the lamp by the door, and they walked a few paces into the room.

"So, you want a drink or somthi-." Mugen covered her mouth with his before she could finish.

_Doesn't beat around the bush, does he?_

Eventually their lips parted, and he gently rested his forehead against hers.

"Damn, I'd been waiting to do that for a long-assed time," he said softly as such a rough voice would allow.

_Me too. _She would have said it out loud if he hadn't seized her lips again before she could speak. _For some reason, I never imagined that his lips would be this soft and warm._

"I 'spect you _feel_ as good as you taste," he muttered against her lips as he grabbed one of her legs by the knee and put her thigh against his hip. He pressed her against the wall with his body.

_Maybe not as scummy, but still definitely a pervert_.

"Is this your first time?" he asked, his cheek pressed to hers.

"Kind of."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It was only once, I was really drunk. I don't even really remember it."

Fuu moved her head back so she could see the expression on his face, wondering what his reaction would be.

_He better not get pissed, how many random whores has he been with?_

The fact was, he couldn't have wished for a more ideal answer. He had wondered about it many times before and he wasn't quite sure what he wanted the answer to be. He knew that if she was a virgin, he would have to keep things on the tame side, and that was something he hated to do in any area of his life, since he was not tame himself. At the same time, he didn't like the idea of another man touching her, and somehow her wanting another man bothered him even more. He wasn't sure why, but he kind of liked the idea of being her _only._ He was extremely pleased with her answer because it gave him the best of both worlds, he would be the only one she actually remembered, and he wouldn't have to hold back.

"Mugen? What is it?"

He put his lips to her ear.

"That's perfect."

She felt his lips tighten against her ear. It was the devilish smirk.

_You might want to get ready to duck, little fellah._


	13. Chapter 13

It had been just over a month since the night Fuu had first been introduced to both _little Mugen_ and _big Mugen_, as he called them

She was alone in her apartment, preparing for bed, kneeling beside her futon and about to put out the lamp, when she heard the familiar sound of metal clanking against stone_. It might be just in my head, but I could swear I could tell the difference between his geta and anyone else's._

The noise got closer and closer, as she expected.

_He said he wasn't coming by tonight. Then again, he always says that and then he always does. _

_I am so going to make him tell me why he was in Nagasaki._

Then all of a sudden, the noise stopped.

_Sounds like he's still a few feet away from the front door of the building, I wonder what he's waiting for._

Fuu waited for the clanking to return, but still nothing.

As she continued to wait, her mind began to wander.

_Fuu, see how your heart is racing? You are falling in love with him and you know it. Hell, you were already half in love with him when you were looking for dad, and three quarters in love with him after escaping from prison with him. Now it's pretty much official. _

_No. I can't be in love with him. I'm not that stupid. I may be sleeping with him every night, but realistically he is just as much a lost cause as before._

_Love doesn't just go away, but lust does, and once my belly really starts to swell up, his lust for me will disappear and so will he._

_I know I should tell him. But if I tell him he will only leave sooner. I'm not ready for him to leave. I still should tell him. I am a bad person for not telling him. No, don't you fret about being a bad person, look at him, I mean the man kills people for a living, and enjoys it too, and somehow he is still a good person. No, he isn't a good person, he's just good to you. Or at least he will be until he finds out. _

A minute passed, and she decided to go investigate what was keeping him. She walked to the window and held the frame tightly as she leaned out to have a look.

Nothing but the dark, empty ally. She took a step back from the window.

_That's weir-. _Before she could finish her thought she felt a pair of arms seize her by the waist. She inhaled sharply but before she could scream, a warm hand slapped over her mouth. She saw the blue rings on the wrist out of the corner of her eye.

She grasped the hand and threw it away from her mouth. _Damn him!_

"Damn you! How the hell did you do that?" she asked through his snickering. It all made sense when she looked down and saw his bare feet, and saw his sword and shoes had been quietly placed by her door.

"I wouldn't mess with ya' so much if you didn't make it so much fun."

As soon as he gave her that look, that smile, her anger completely disappeared.

_Gods help me, I am in love with him!_

"I thought you weren't coming by tonight," Fuu couldn't help giggling as he pulled her into his arms.

"Thought I would stop by for some a' your sweet ass," he said, barely finishing his sentence before he began devouring her neck.

"Mugen, can I ask you a question?" she whispered.

"What? Can't you see I'm busy?" he grumbled as he pulled the stick from her hair, allowing it to tumble onto her shoulders.

"I've been wondering, why were you in Nagasaki?" _I wouldn't want to know so bad if he didn't avoid answering it last time. I wonder if he came to see – nah._

"C'mon Fuu…"

"I want to know. I won't let you go any further until you tell me," she said, ducking out of his arms.

"Damn it!" he groaned.

"Tell me."

He groaned. "Alright, but this better be worth it."

"I went to Nagasaki to -" He hesitated.


	14. Chapter 14

"To what?"

He muttered something in his native language.

"To what?" she repeated, not understanding a word.

He groaned again.

"Tell me," she pleaded. He remained silent. "Mugen -"

"Alright damn it!" he shouted. "I went to Nagasaki because -!" The shouting faded into a just barely intelligible mumble.

"I saw you a few months ago and - you looked _so_ good - got this weird feeling in my stomach - wouldn't go away - went to Nagasaki to _make_ it go away."

"You mean you went to Nagasaki to see me?"

"I went to Nagasaki so I could either get shot down and be done with it or nail you and get it out of my system."

_Wow, I can't believe he told me that, he could have just as easily lied. Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised, he may be an asshole, but he is pretty honest. I guess that's part of what makes him such an asshole._

"Did it work?" she asked.

"Did what work?"

"Did you get me out of your system?"

"What do you think?" he shouted irritably.

She was speechless. _That's probably as close to a declaration of love as I am ever going to get out of him._

"Alright now c'mere, time to pay up," he grinned maniacally, "and just for that, you're gonna be sore for a week." He discarded his clothes and playfully pushed her down on to the futon.

His head turned suddenly towards the door as he reached for the knot in her obi.

"What?" Fuu giggled. Mugen was silent and still, staring at the door like a cat that had sensed something beyond human perception.

Nearly a dozen armed men suddenly burst in.

"Damn it! Can't you assholes see I'm about to score here?" groaned Mugen.

"That's her, the murderer from Nagasaki!" One of them shouted. Fuu's eyes widened. _Oh shit! _

Mugen dove for his sword, but there were already several men between it and him. Two of the men grabbed Fuu as Mugen came to his feet.

"Get your hands the hell off my woman!" Mugen roared, not seeming to care about his nudity.

_Did he just say what I thought he said?_

"Out of the way, this one's a fugitive who's committed two murders, we don't have a warrant for _you_," one of the men shouted.

"Now there's something I've never heard a cop say to _me_ before," Mugen snickered through his increasing anger.

"Now stay out of the way, she's under arrest," said one of the men holding Fuu's arms.

"Mugen, don't be stupid! I'll be alright," Fuu lied.

"The hell you will be!" Mugen bellowed as he knocked the feet out from under one of the men. He grabbed the face and shoulder of another and sharply turned the head to the side, snapping the neck and then pushing the now dead man backwards, knocking over several members of the posse.

Unfortunately, not even Mugen could stand up to eleven men with swords, at least not when he was unarmed and butt-naked, but it was still pretty close.

However, he did manage to get himself arrested.

* * *

I just added the naked part at the last minute, thought it might add an amusing element.

It seems to be almost a fugen fanfic tradition to have some sort of "my woman" line, and who would I be to go against tradition? An ass, that's what.


	15. Chapter 15

_Hmm, this is familiar, in jail together, again. At least the last place didn't have a leaky roof and didn't smell like filth. I don't think I'll find out if the floor is just as cold, there is no way I am sitting on something that disgusting. _

Mugen's cell was once again adjacent to Fuu's.

_This is a big city jail, no way we can break out of here, even with a thousand of his nasty geta._

Two officials approached their cells.

"The girl's here for two murders, and one of the men she killed was a cop," one said, gesturing to Fuu.

"What about this scum?" asked the other, referring to Mugen, whom fortunately had been given his clothes during his arrest. Apparently the cops were in intimidated by _big Mugen, _or so he congratulated himself.

"He killed three cops with his bare hands while we were trying to arrest her, and you would die of old age before I could tell you all the other things he's a suspect for."

"I'll take your word for it, death for them both, put them down for first thing tomorrow morning, no sense in them taking up space," he said casually as the two turned and left.

Fuu and Mugen were silent, standing back to back, with only the bars separating them. It was only a few hours until morning.

Mugen stared blankly off into space, wondering if he would still be able to turn away from the crow men after they took his head.

Fuu was consumed by her thoughts again, the tears silently rolled down her cheek.

_I'm sorry little fellah, looks like we're as good as dead again..._

_Poor Mugen is only here because of me. He could have easily gotten away, he must have not wanted to leave me._

"I'm so sorry Mugen, this is my fault."

"Eh, you heard those guys, I had this commin'." He sighed. "I should have stashed you in some little-assed village 'stead of bringing you to Edo." He turned around to face her. "Guess I kind'a wanted you around."

She smiled, but did not turn to face him. "I'm glad you did."

"What's with you? Why're you keeping your back to me?"

"I don't want you to see how upset I am," she murmured.

"Heh, like I've never seen you all mopey and shit."

"I don't want you to think I'm afraid." She turned to look at him, revealing that her face was somewhat tear-stained.

"Now what the hell makes you think I 'spect you not to be afraid of dying?" he said, somehow sounding both concerned and irritated.

"You aren't afraid of dying." She paused. "You never seem to be afraid of anything."

"Yeah well," he said non-chalantly. "The thing about that is, you can only be afraid of somethin' so many times. The stuff that scares people, I got used to that shit when I was a kid, and when it comes to dyin'." He laughed darkly. "I've been 'bout to die more times than I can count, and I know I don't count so good, but trust me, it's a lot. What I'm tryin' to say is, you can't be afraid of shit that already happened to you. You get used to it."

Fuu took a moment to digest what he had said before she spoke.

"But with me, I think it's the opposite. Like since my father left, whenever I get close to someone, I kind of get scared that they will leave me too. I have already been through it, but that just makes it scare me more. I don't think anyone could ever get used to being abandoned."

"Give it a few times, then you won't be scared of it," he muttered, his mind having now wandered into some dark memories.

_He is probably talking from experience. Sometimes I forget what a messed up childhood he had._

"You really aren't afraid of being abandoned?"

"Nope."

_Time for a loaded question._ "So you wouldn't care if I abandoned you?"

"I didn't say I wouldn't care, I said I'm not afraid of it, it's gonna happen sooner or later. Way I see it is, it's only a matter a' time before you get sick of puttin' up with my crap." He actually sounded slightly depressed.

She smiled and touched his cheek. "You idiot, I don't know if I could abandon you even if I wanted to."

"Well, doesn't look like I'll get to find out now, does it?" he said petulantly.

She sighed. "So you would care if I left you?"

"Oh holy shit! Is this some messed up game chicks play where they try to see how much mushy shit they can get a guy to spew in a day?" he shouted.

"It's not like I'll get another chance to ask you! We're getting executed in a few hours, remember!" she retorted.

"Oh! So you just want mushy shit before we die?!" he laughed mockingly, and Fuu was in no mood to just stand there and take it.

"I guess trying to get that out of you is pretty pointless considering the most romantic thing you have ever said is _get your hands off my woman_!"

Mugen's eyes narrowed. His abilities being doubted never sat well with him, regardless of what that ability was. In such a situation, for Mugen, there was only one course of action – he had to prove himself.

"You want mushy shit? Then I'll give you mushy shit!"

"Hah!" she laughed skeptically. "I'd like to see that."

The fight was on.

"Well then! What would you do if I told you that I loved you?!" he demanded.

"I would say you were a liar and you were only saying it to make me feel better before we die!" she hissed.

"Alright," he yelled. "What if I told ya' I wasn't lying?"

"If you told me that you weren't lying, then I would definitely say you were lying!"

"Fine!" he shouted. "What if I asked ya' ta marry me?"

Her jaw dropped and she stared at him in awe.

_Wow, he's really going all out with this._

"Hah! That shut you up!" he crowed triumphantly.


	16. Chapter 16

"Well, are ya' gonna answer me?" he demanded.

"Mugen, I don't know-"

He interrupted. 'Cause you don't love me or 'cause you think I don't know you're knocked up?"

Her eyes widened. _He knew?_

"How did you -"

Mugen interrupted again. "I might act like it sometimes, but I ain't stupid. I mean, you're gettin' chunky 'round the middle and I've been bangin' you for a month and a half straight, and there hasn't been any hands off days. So are ya' gonna answer me or what? I'm sure as hell not gonna ask you again!"

She sighed. _Just tell him._

"Mugen, I don't think you understand, I've been pregnant since before I ran into you in Nagasaki, it can't be yours."

He rolled his eyes. "I saw you barfin' on the side of the road right after we broke out of jail. No shit it ain't mine!"

She gasped. "You mean, you don't care?"

"Why the hell would I? No blood relative ever meant jack shit to me so why would I care if that kid didn't come out of my dick? That kid's yours and you're mine, so I guess that would make us a family and all that lame shit."

"Oh Mugen" she stammered, with tears in her eyes.

"So?"

_He probably only asked you because we are going to die in the morning anyway, what does he have to lose, a few hours of womanizing to be spent in a place where I'm the only woman? You know what, to hell with it, I don't care, I am going to enjoy this damn it!_

"Yes," she said, trying to sound as unecstatic as she could, which was still pretty ecstatic.

"Sweet, I win," se said with a broad smile. "Now c'mere." He reached his arm through the bars and pulled her up against them, kissing her as best he could though the bars. A few of the inmates hooted and cheered at the display of affection.

"Hey," He whispered along with the impudent stare, "since we're gonna die in a few hours, you think we could get it on through these bars?"

She considered the mechanics and logistics of his proposal for a moment, before realizing that there were at least a dozen pairs of eyes on them.

"Ewwe Mugen! They would be able to see us!"

"I bet they won't mind."

"I said no!"

"Uptight bitch," he muttered. _Did he actually expect me to say yes?_

She put her arm through the bars, reached her hand around the back of his head and pulled him close to her. "But I guess another kiss wouldn't hurt." She said, seizing his lips in hers as every man in the jail began howling in excitement. They both did their best to ignore all the distractions, but Mugen, ever vigilant, heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hall and stopping in front of his and Fuu's cells. He opened his eyes slightly and looked at the man from over Fuu's shoulder. Mugen took his time in returning his tongue to his own mouth. He turned to the man with a smug grin.

"Do you mind four-eyes? I was just givin' the brat some sugar."


	17. Chapter 17

"Jin!"

_Once again, my life is that weird._

The pale samurai stood before them, looking exactly as he had when they both last saw him, except for the fact that his daisho had been discretely replaced by Mugen's sword and Fuu's tanto.

"So, what's a nice boy like you doing in a place like this?" snickered Mugen.

"I was not surprised when I saw your sword in the contraband locker," Jin said flatly, before turning to Fuu.

Without a word, he began unlocking her cell.

"I don't need help from you!" she sneered.

He looked at her over the top of his glasses.

"Your situation would suggest otherwise." He opened the cell door and extended his hand to Fuu. She crossed her arms and refused to move.

"What the hell is wrong with you woman? He's busting you out!" said the confused Mugen.

"I will release him as well, but we must go now, I cannot buy you anymore time, the warden will be back from his break soon." Jin said quietly.

"Fine," Fuu groaned as she stepped out of the cell, but refused to take Jin's hand.

"Thanks fish-face," Mugen said cheerfully as Jin unlocked his cell. "Hey, I don't see any corpses so I guess you didn't fight your way in here. Mind if I ask you plan to pull this off?"

"I have acquired extradition papers, but you must play along." Jin produced a rope and reached for Mugen's wrist.

"Screw that! Let's just start killin' people!" Mugen shouted.

"That is a last resort, but if we were to slash our way out of here, they would never stop hunting us. However, if they simply think you are being transported to Nagasaki for a public execution, then things will be much easier for all of us. I can simply tell them that you became unruly and I was forced to kill you. Then no one will go looking for you and I can hopefully keep my job."

Mugen conceded the point with a groan and Jin proceeded to tie their wrists together.

"Do not say anything," he instructed as he led them down the hall and passed the guards.

The warden approached.

"These are the two prisoners that are being extradited to Nagasaki?"

"Yes, I am told the officials there wish to have the satisfaction of beheading them personally."

"Fair enough," said the warden, looking over the papers. "These seem to be in order. Are you sure you can handle these two with out help? They are both pretty feisty."

"I'm a might more than feisty pal," Mugen growled. Fuu stomped on his foot.

"Yes, I can handle them," answered Jin.

"Well, you are a legend in these parts, so I'll take your word for it. Watch out for the girl though, she's a biter."

"I will take appropriate precautions," said Jin as he pretended to drag Fuu and Mugen away.

Fuu elbowed Mugen. "Try not to look so happy!" she whispered.

Mugen rolled his eyes. "Fine have it your way," he muttered before he began to rant loudly. "Please don't leave us with him! He'll do nasty things to us like -"

Jin turned around and glared at Mugen.

"What? It was her idea!" Mugen whispered forcefully as he tilted his head in order to gesture toward Fuu. She elbowed again, only harder. _Jackass_.


	18. Chapter 18

A mile north of Edo, the three comrades stood by the side of the road some hours later, having spent the wee hours of the morning sneaking out of the city. The sun had just begun to peak over the horizon and the sparsely treed field surrounding them was covered with a waist high layer of morning mist.

Fuu and Mugen rested by the road as Jin approached a pair of horses that were hitched to a small tree. He reached under one of the saddles and pulled out his daisho, restored them to their proper place at his waist and sighed with contentment. Not wearing any swords made him feel naked, and wearing Fuu and Mugen's blades felt strangely similar to being dressed as a female shamisen player. Now properly dressed, he turned around and faced his two friends.

Both Mugen and Fuu were grateful for the rescue, but both of them had mixed feelings about it, particularly Mugen. He didn't like the idea of someone else saving Fuu, and someone saving him felt even more wrong. Nevertheless, he was curious about how it had been arranged. He approached Jin.

"So, how'd you know we were arrested? We were only in jail for a few hours."

"I knew of Fuu's arrest before it took place, helping you was nothing more than fortuitous. I intended to warn Fuu of her impending arrest, but by the time I got here, it was too late. Fortunately, I was prepared for that eventuality."

"How did you know ahead of time?"

"I have government connections," he replied flatly.

Fuu nervously watched the two men. _I have to tell him soon, or he'll find out on his own._

"Since when do you have government connections?"

"I am no longer a ronin."

"I thought becoming a ronin was generally a one-way trip these days."

"An exception was made due to my skill and reputation."

"Nice." Mugen nodded as he idly scratched his chin, actually feeling somewhat proud of his acquaintance. "What happened to that 'there's no lords worth dying for' shit?"

"Times are peaceful. It is unlikely that I will have to sacrifice my life for my lord. Moreover, the life of a ronin is not appropriate for a man with a family."

"Went soft and sold out eh?" Mugen jeered. Jin ignored him and turned to Fuu.

"Fuu, we must talk in private." Jin sounded even more serious than usual. Mugen's took notice of the wording of Jin's request, and didn't like the sound of it.

"I have nothing to say to you except 'thank you for springing us," said Fuu, raising her nose into the air.

"Once again, your situation would suggest otherwise."

"I can take care of myself, thank you!"

"As long as you are in Edo, your life is in danger."

"Yes, but it's my life!" Fuu snapped. _This is exactly why I went to Nagasaki._

"Yes, but it is not just your own life that is at stake." Jin sounded almost as if he was pleading with her.

"Mugen, you'll be fine, wont you?" Fuu asked, nervously. Mugen noticed the strange tone in her voice.

"Um yeah, but what -"

Jin ignored Mugen and continued talking to Fuu. "You know that is not what I meant."

Mugen's eyes narrowed and he cocked his head to the side.


	19. Chapter 19

The F-word is used in this chapter. Fairly warned be yee, says I.

* * *

"Hang on a sec - what's he talking about?" Mugen looked at them questioningly.

Jin continued to ignore Mugen. "You must get away from the city and - "

Mugen had had enough. "Does someone want to tell me what the hell is going on here?" he demanded as he stomped his foot on the gravel road.

Jin and Fuu stared back at Mugen in nervous silence.

"How the hell does he know about you bein' knocked up?" asked Mugen, now sounding even more agitated. The pieces were coming together in his mind.

Jin and Fuu glanced at each other. Mugen's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"No, no, no! That can't be it! Tell me that I'm wrong!" Mugen shouted.

Jin and Fuu still remained silent, a trace of fear on both their faces. Mugen walked up to Fuu and looked her squarely in the eye.

"Tell me he's not the one who knocked you up!"

She looked away. _This is not going to be good_.

"Holy hell - it was him!"

"You said that it didn't matter that you weren't the father!" Fuu shouted defensively.

"Yeah but that's when it was some random asshole and now you tell me it was fucking four eyes! I can't believe you actually let his pale ass nail you! I put my dick somewhere where his has been! That is so damn nasty I want to hurl!" He let out a sound that seemed to be between a groan and a roar. "I always knew you two had a _thing_!"

_Why does this have to happen to me? How many other girls have had a drunken one-night-stand and fallen for a bad boy? I bet this doesn't happen to them!_

Mugen reached behind him and grasped the hilt of his sword as he turned to Jin.

"And you! You're the bastard that lied about being married, got her drunk, popped her cherry and left her pregnant! How the hell could you do that to her? You son of a bitch!" The feral sneer took over his face as he drew his sword and swung it at the samurai.

* * *

Oh yes I did!

I know this is rated T, but I just couldn't see that situation happening without Mugen dropping an f-bomb, I figure only one f-word in the whole story wouldn't hurt the rating.


	20. Chapter 20

Mugen flew at Jin, and Jin immediately drew to defend himself. Each of Jin's moves was obviously solely for the purpose of defense, but each swing of Mugen's sword clearly had the intention of ending Jin's life.

"Stop it you two! Stop it! What is with you guys?!" Fuu screamed repeatedly.

_What is with those two! They better not kill each other because I am going to kill both of them!_

Fuu had seen Mugen fight many times, several of those times were with Jin, but somehow this was different. Mugen usually had this calculated unpredictability to his moves, and even Jin never seemed to know what he would do next, but this time he seemed to just swing at Jin with no strategy, somehow seeming to rely entirely on brute strength, as if his weapon were a club instead of a sword. Ordinarily he would jump, duck, spin and bend with this amazing, inhuman agility. But this time it was inhuman in a different way. He was by no means a gentlemen dueling the man who had defiled his lady's honor. He was a stray dog who had reverted to his wolf-like instincts in order to protect his bitch from a rival male.

_Mugen fights people over random meaningless crap all the time, I guess I shouldn't be too flattered that he would fight over me. Still, what is with those two?_

As they fought, Jin tried to use explanation to placate the enraged pirate.

"Mugen, I care for her only as a good friend. What happened between Fuu and I a few months ago was - we had not seen each other in many years and we had both been drinking."

_He came in to the restaurant I was working at, totally by chance. He mentioned that he wasn't sure how long he would be in Edo, and wasn't likely to be back anytime soon, so I invited him back to my place to hang out. It was totally innocent! Or at least it started out that way. We had a few drinks and talked, ironically, mostly about Mugen, since I had run into him a few weeks before. Contrary to popular belief, Jin can hold his liquor as well as most people, but he is such a rational person that as soon as he has drunk enough to become irrational, he just either sits quietly or goes to sleep voluntarily. Somehow he seems to be afraid of what he might say or do while not in control, and apparently with good reason. But that night, for whatever reason, he didn't just shut down._

_I had a bit of a crush on Jin for years, and that night I had enough booze in me to allow me to make advances that I never would have considered sober. I hate to admit it, but I started it. I was all over him. It's not like he put up a fight though, he was into it. I don't really remember anything specific about the actual "act" but I do remember enough to know that it happened, and it was pretty obvious when I woke up._

"I did not lie to her about being married, it simply did not come up until after we had – made our mistake."

_That is what hurt me the most. That he instantly thought it was a mistake._

_I woke up before him, and had a good bit of time to lay there and think. I was really, super embarrassed about what I had done, but not regretful that it had happened. I actually thought about what a nice couple we would make, how it was really a good, prudent, old fashioned match, since we both come from the same class, that he was the kind of guy my mother would have chosen for me. The kind of guy my mother would be proud to have me end up with._

_I think that the real reason why I kept telling myself that he was a scummy bastard was so the disappointment and rejection would hurt less._

_I'll never forget the look on his face when he woke up next to me. It was a look of complete and utter terror, and a look of complete and utter anything looks bizarre enough on him. He immediately explained that it was all a big mistake and how deeply sorry he was. Then he told me about Shino. If he had been anyone else, I would have killed him for waiting until then to tell me that he was married, but I know that he isn't a very forthcoming person in general, so my anger at him was slightly less than murderous, but still pretty close. We more or less agreed to go our separate ways and never speak of it again, that is, after I had thrown some things at him and called him every nasty word I knew, which was quite a few thanks to my days with Mugen._

_One thing's for sure, that whole experience completely cured me of my crush on Jin._

Mugen made no response to Jin's attempts at explanation and continued to fight him, howling with each swing of his sword.

"When I heard that she was with child, I had every intention of doing everything I could to help her, but she disappeared before I could."

_I told one of the girls at work about what had happened with Jin and that I thought I might be pregnant, mainly just to get her ideas on what to do. Then I found out that the meddling, manipulative bitch went and told Jin. I knew what would happen when he found out. I knew he would try to take responsibility for everything. That's why I moved to Nagasaki so suddenly. I didn't want his help or his pity. I just wanted to forget the whole thing ever happened and then try to make the best of my situation on my own._

Jin realized that no amount of reasoning would calm Mugen, as the man had completely lost touch with everything except his own raw aggression.

"I just saved your life and you attack me," said the now agitated Jin. He had had enough of just defending himself.


	21. Chapter 21

The two swords sliced ferociously through the brisk morning air, turning the once flat, tranquil ocean of waist high fog into a tumultuous sea, with each wave of mist cresting and crashing in perfect unison with every stroke of the two blades. The meadow rang with the sounds of shoes scraping against the gravel road, the clash and clang of the two swords, the savage howls and unintelligible curses of the murderously unstable pirate as well as the desperate pleas and protests of the young woman who seemed powerless to stop the increasingly dangerous battle.

Jin had an advantage in that he was still calm and composed while Mugen seemed to be possessed by an irate demon, and not a very cunning one at that. However, Mugen's escalating animalistic rage did seem to grant him some extra-ordinary strength and speed, which allowed him to hold his own against the levelheaded samurai, and even gain a slight edge over him.

Despite Mugen's adrenaline-induced upper hand, in one stunning move, Jin, while taking a small nick in the shoulder himself, managed to kick Mugen's feet out from under him, sending him sliding on his back across the gravel road. Mugen immediately scrambled to push himself up from this vulnerable position, but Jin had his sword to his throat before he could stand, pinning him to the ground. The mist slowly resettled creating a transparent veil between the two men. The samurai looked down through the layer of fog at the checkmated pirate. Mugen lay on his back, his sword still clutched tightly in one of his hands as he panted, letting out a low growl with each breath.

Fuu looked on in silent horror.

"There is no honor in defeating you when you are in this irrational state."

Mugen just glared furiously at him.

"I consider you a friend, so I will let you live." Jin said as he was about to move his sword away from Mugen's neck.

Mugen began to speak, his voice more beast than human.

"As soon as you let me up I'm gonna to come at you again, and I'll keep comin' at you again and again and again until you're a blood-soaked corpse."

Jin sighed solemnly. "I do not wish to kill you Mugen, but I will do what I must."

"Then do it or let me up so I can waste you."

"You insist on continuing this until one of us is dead?"

"Yeah," Mugen growled. "I swear I won't stop fighting until I end you."

Jin stood in silent contemplation for several seconds. "Then I have no other option, for the sake of my wife and my children, I cannot allow myself to be slain just to indulge your jealousy. I am sorry. I have no choice. I am sorry."

His sword moved up over his head as he reluctantly prepared to execute his friend.

Mugen simply lay there, tense but completely motionless as he simply stared fiercely up at Jin. His glower had his usual unmistakable contemptuous audacity and fearlessness, but was lacking the glint of absolute self-confidence that was usually present in his expression.

Jin drew in a deep breath. "I am truly sorry."


	22. Chapter 22

Just as his sword began its rapid decent toward Mugen, Jin felt something very sharp poking his back. He froze instantly.

"Give me the sword Jin!"

Fuu was holding her tanto to his back.

Jin lowered his sword slowly, returning it to its previous position, an inch from Mugen's neck.

"Give me the sword Jin!" she repeated firmly as she pressed the tip of the blade harder against Jin's back, breaking the skin slightly through his clothes.

He did not move or speak.

"I love him Jin, I'll do what I have to do!" her voice was strong, but it's wavering pitch clearly indicated that she was holding back tears.

"He has vowed to attack me again if I let him up." Jin actually sounded slightly upset, but his tone did not disclose any specific feeling, such as anger, frustration or grief. His voice rarely communicated any feeling other than polite indifference, but at that moment, it did communicate something, however subtle and elusive.

"I didn't say I was going to let him up. Now give me the sword!" Fuu sensed that she had won her standoff with Jin, and walked out from behind him. He reluctantly handed her his sword and stood close beside her, and his hand immediately began to hover over the wakizashi still sheathed at his hip.

Fuu grasped the hilt of the katana firmly. Jin raised an eyebrow as he realized that her grip and stance were nearly perfect considering her lack of experience. It was in her blood, after all. She carefully moved the sword to its former position by Mugen's neck, and held it rigidly, even though the rest of her body was shaking slightly.

Mugen continued to pant and growl and had still not stopped his scowling at Jin. There was something frighteningly vacant about his stare.

"Now listen! You need to calm the hell down, okay." She was about to burst into tears. "There is nothing between me and Jin and what he said was true."

He had still not broken his stare at his perceived enemy. His vision had become a tunnel, centered on the man he was intent on distroying. He did nothing to indicate that he had understood what she said, but Fuu optimistically assumed that he had.

"Now I am going to give the sword back to Jin and let you up, and you had better knock it off with the fighting." Jin swiped it out of her hand as soon as she moved to give it to him. She reached her hand down to help Mugen up. He did not take it, but slowly pushed himself to his feet, his eyes still fixed on Jin. He gripped his sword so tightly that the veins and tendons in his hands were clearly visible.

Both men stood facing each other with their weapons, with about eight feet between them. Jin was ready to strike at any provocation. Mugen was ready to strike without any provocation.

Fuu recognized that she had failed to calm Mugen, and that the battle would resume at any moment. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stepped in front of Jin and stood between the two men.

She approached Mugen, who was holding his sword tightly in both hands, pointing it at Jin. He still would not look at her even when she was standing so close to him.

She slowly descended to her knees in front of him and scooted across the gravel road until she was virtually kneeling on Mugen's feet. She then cautiously stood, carefully maneuvering her way up until she was standing between him and his sword, his arms, still gripping the weapon, on either side of her. He still did not move or acknowledge her. She slowly put her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder and immediately noticed the distinct aroma of stress induced perspiration mixed with the smell of the dust and dirt, which his skin and clothes had picked up from sliding across the road. He still continued to clutch the sword and glare at Jin. She could feel his heart pounding and his chest rise and fall as he breathed, and she could feel the vibrations as he growled with each breath.

She spoke into his ear using the most soothing tone that she could manage through her tears. The growling tapered off as she began to speak.

"Mugen, what he said was true. It was a one-time time thing mainly due to excessive consumption of sake. How many random girls have you screwed under those circumstances?"

His grip on the sword loosened slightly.

"He didn't hurt me, Mugen. He really pissed me off, but he didn't break my heart or take advantage of me or anything. I'm alright."

His grasp loosened a little more.

"I'm yours Mugen. I was never his."

His eyes closed and the sword seemed to slip from his hand of its own accord. Though he had dropped the sword, he did not yet return her embrace. He exhaled deeply as his body relaxed, expelling the jealousy from the idea of someone else getting close to her, the rage at the idea of someone hurting her and his own guilt over not having protected her from those things. He finally put one arm around her waist and used the other to hold her face tightly against his neck and shoulder as he buried his face in her hair.

Both of them completely ceased to perceive time as they melted into each other's embrace.


	23. Chapter 23

Poor Jin could do nothing but just stand around and feel awkward while Mugen and Fuu cuddled until Mugen was himself again, and once that had happened, they just kept right on cuddling, seemingly unaware of anything but each other.

Suddenly, one of Mugen's hands flew away from her, and he slapped himself on the ear.

"What?" Fuu asked, confused.

"Something just flew past my ear, damn bugs," he said as he crudely jabbed one of his fingers into his ear, and flinched as he twisted it.

Just as Fuu was about to roll her eyes at him, she noticed the familiar feeling of tiny claws lightly scratching the back of her neck.

Mugen caught sight of the critter. "Oh shit, the rat's back."

"Momo!" She squealed ecstatically as she reached back, carefully grasping the tiny animal and hugging her against her cheek.

Even though Mugen was still somewhat sullen and crabby and Jin was his usual, stoic, outwardly listless self, neither one could help cracking a smile at seeing her so happy.

She carefully slipped Momo into her kimono and sighed out her excitement.

The three friends stood together in silence.

Jin and Mugen briefly glanced at each other. When their eyes met, Jin silently communicated his apology, and Mugen silently communicated his lack thereof.

The reticence continued.

Ironically, it was the silent samurai that finally spoke.

"Fuu, I wish to help you."

"I don't want your pity, Jin."

"I am not offering you pity, I simply wish to take responsibility for my actions."

"You're talking about it as if you took advantage of me. I was just as drunk and horny as you were. It's my responsibility too!"

Mugen grimaced and groaned as he shook his head violently, trying to drive out the images of Jin and Fuu having relations.

"That is exactly what I am trying to say," Jin said.

Fuu sighed. "What do you have in mind?"

"I have prepared a small house for you and the baby."

Mugen, having banished the disturbing visions at least for the moment, rejoined the conversation. "Since when do you have an extra house just lyin' around?"

"I live on a fairly large plot of land a few miles east of Sendai, there is a small unused house on the edge of the property."

He turned to Fuu once more.

"Will you accept my offer?"

"Does Shino know what happened?"

"Not yet, but I intend to tell her."

"Please don't. There's no reason for her to know."

"I owe her honesty," said Jin._ Oh, I guess I should be flattered that you want to give your wife the same thing that you gave me – the truth – eventually. Still…_

"Please don't tell her, as a favor to me. It will only hurt her and your boys and I don't think we'll make very good neighbors if she knows I slept with her husband, no matter how drunk we were."

"Then you will accept?"

She turned to Mugen and took his hand. Jin sensed that a private moment was about to begin again, from what had just transpired, it didn't take a genius to figure out that Fuu and Mugen were now lovers. Jin turned around and busied himself with the horses.

The truth was, Jin didn't like the idea of them being together, but not out of possessiveness or jealousy. Jin did love Fuu on some level and in all honesty, his feelings for her did posses a small kernel that was not platonic, but this was virtually irrelevant because he loved his wife infinitely more. Jin cared for Fuu almost exclusively as a friend and naturally, his concern for her welfare increased due her being pregnant with his bastard child. Like everyone else, Jin knew that Mugen was bad news and proud of it. To Jin, it seemed fairly obvious that Mugen would never make Fuu into a respectable wife. Jin briefly resolved to explain this to her, but immediately changed his mind when he realized that for him to do so would be the absolute height of hypocrisy.

"Mugen?" Fuu said sweetly.

Mugen sensed what she was going to ask. "Fuu, I don't know."

She sighed. "Mugen, did you mean what you said in prison?"

He looked away and said nothing. Tears began welling in Fuu's eyes.

_I knew it was too good to be true._


	24. Chapter 24

"I need to know if you meant what you said." Her throat tightened.

He was still silent.

"Okay, it's okay, I understand," she managed to choke out. "We were about to die and you wanted me to feel better. I understand. I just needed to know. It's okay." The tears were rolling down her cheek as she turned to walk away.

He muttered something in his native language. Heartbreak turned to irritation as Fuu turned around.

"I hate it when you do that! You're the only one here that understands that language, so you may as well keep that shit to yourself, at least then you wouldn't drive me crazy! Just say it in Japanese or shut the hell up!"

Fuu was in no mood to be culturally sensitive.

Given the choice between translating what he had said and shutting up, it's quite obvious what option he would choose. He had never obeyed a command to shut up in his life and he was not about to start now.

"I said I'm not gonna say that wussy _I love you baby_ shit in front of that dickhead!" Mugen shouted crossly, gesturing at Jin.

Fuu's arms were around him again so fast, the ever-vigilant Mugen actually twitched, startled by her instantaneous embrace.

"So you'll come?" she whispered. "You're a fugitive too, they won't be looking for you way up in Sendai."

"Babe, I've been a fugitive most of my life, I'm a pro at that shit. Just avoid cops or kill cops. I'm a master at both," he bragged.

"Mugen, I need you to come, I -" She looked into his eyes, "love you."

"Damn it Fuu, I can't just drop everything and go live with you right this minute, I got a bunch of loose ends to tie up here."

Jin overheard this and groaned inwardly. He hadn't planned on Mugen coming with her. He did consider Mugen a friend, but probably not the kind of friend he would want as a neighbor. Imagine the sort of language his sons would learn! Jin shuddered at the thought of his sons emulating Mugen in even the smallest way.

"But you promise you'll come when you're done?" she said, excited by the implied 'yes.'

He smiled cheekily. "Not if you keep asking stupid assed-questions that you already know the answer to." A deep, mutually initiated kiss ensued. Jin winced in disgust, though he wasn't even facing them, he couldn't help overhearing the sounds of lips and tongues smacking. The lover's lips eventually parted and Mugen gazed down at his woman. While their arms were still wrapped around each other, Fuu turned her head and called out to Jin, who had just mounted his horse.

"Um, Jin, I don't think I can ride a horse in this, a lady's kimono isn't made for that, I won't be able to part my legs."

Mugen groaned, released her from his arms and reached into her kimono.  
"Mugen what are you doing? This is hardly the time to feel me up!" she said, confused.

He pulled out her tanto, after copping a quick feel of course. He then bent down and used it to cut a long rip in the side of her kimono, starting at the hip and going all the way down to the hem.

"Mugen stop!"

He ignored her and did the same thing to the other side of her kimono.

"There, now get on the damn horse, you two should get your asses out'a here 'for someone sees ya," he said as he lifted her up, helping her to mount it. The rips enabled her to throw one leg over the saddle. _Wow, that actually worked._ As soon as she had gotten situated, she realized that both of her legs were completely exposed. _Damn him!_

"Damn you Mugen!"

He gave a smug smirk and shamelessly leered at the exposed flesh.

"Hey four-eyes!" he shouted, without taking his eyes off Fuu's legs. Jin turned. "Watch out for her and that spawn a' yours. Oh, and if you ever lay a hand on her again, I swear I'll kill you, no matter how dramatic she gets!"

"Noted," said Jin as his horse began to trot forward down the road, closely followed by Fuu's. They had only gone several feet when Fuu looked back over her shoulder to see if Mugen had already started walking back toward the city. He was still just standing there, smirking at her. She gazed back at him and her smile didn't fade until he had disappeared under the horizon.

_He'll come_.


	25. Chapter 25

Almost from the first day she moved in, her favorite place in the house was the door step, because that spot afforded a good view of the open field between her home and the road. She would spend as much of her day as possible carefully watching each traveler that passed, keeping an eye out for one traveler in particular.

Jin and his family, which consisted of him, Shino and their one-year-old twin sons, lived in a house that would have been visible from Fuu's, if not for a group of trees in between them. Fuu's new home was small, and Jin had commented that it had been abandoned for some time, and had likely once been inhabited by peasant farmers. When she had arrived, it was completely empty, save spider webs and dust. Apparently when Jin had said that he had prepared a house, what he really meant was that he had the roof crudely patched up and the junk hauled out. However, after some much-needed furnishings were added, plus a women's touch (more Shino's then Fuu's) it was decent enough for Fuu to refer to it as her "not _quite_ a dump." It may not have been sweet, but it was home and she was happy to be there.

Jin found the idea of deception towards a loved one somewhat distateful, but he also recognized the wisdom in Fuu's request for his silence. So he told Shino of how Fuu had saved his life and they had become friends, and that now she was in a difficult situation, being pregnant and unwed, and that he wished to help her. Nothing he told Shino was a lie, he comforted himself. He had simply left out the part where he fathered Fuu's unborn child in a drunken tryst.

Shino accepted the explanation and Fuu along with it. She even offered to pay Fuu to do a bit of work around their house and Fuu gladly accepted, since she was in need of the money. However, Shino's primary goal with the arrangement was not to get Fuu's help, but rather to teach Fuu how to cook, sew and do all other manners of domestic tasks that Fuu had very little experience with.

It was difficult, but over the months, Fuu learned how to not feel awkward at accepting kindness from a woman who had every right to hate her, if she had known the truth. It actually wasn't long before Shino had become a good friend and something of a mentor. Fuu felt that she could talk to Shino about anything (except _that_), so naturally she had told her about the ruggedly handsome young rogue who had promised to come and live with her. Shino was always very supportive and reassuring when it came to this, but in reality, Shino never believed any of it, she simply thought that Fuu had created a pitifully detailed fantasy to comfort her in her loneliness.

Sewing soon became Fuu's new favorite pastime, not because she loved or needed to do it, but because she could do it while sitting on the doorstep and keeping an eye on the road. When she first arrived, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that he would come, but as the time passed, it became harder and harder to have absolute faith in him. After several months, it had become extremely difficult to hold on to her belief that he was just over the horizon, and she started to wonder if she should just let him go. However, she did not sink into despair, the birth of her baby girl, and to a lesser extent, the supportiveness of Jin and his family, prevented that.

When Fuu mentioned that she was going to name the baby 'Himawari,' Jin couldn't help but give a slight laugh at how utterly predictable her choice was. 'Himawari' was named for the flowers that had inspired the quest that still occupied such a special place in her memory. When the baby came, the constant rush to satisfy the infants needs kept her mind occupied most of the time, but it seemed that whenever the baby slept, she would always think of Mugen.

By the time Shino had accomplished her goal of teaching Fuu how to run a household, the twin boys had gotten to an age that actually made Fuu's help necessary. As the bodyguard of a nobleman, Jin was often out of town, leaving Shino alone with the children. Caring for two-year-old twin boys was a task that no one should have to face alone, but fortunately, Shino had Fuu. The arrangement suited Fuu quite well, since it allowed her to make some money, and she could easily look after her own infant while helping with the boys and housework.

One particular evening, about a year after she had moved in, Fuu returned from Jin and Shino's and sat down on the doorstep to nurse her baby, hoping that the infant would go to sleep before sunset, so she could do a little sewing while there was still light enough to do so.

Little Himawari finally drifted off to sleep just as the sun began to sink behind horizon. Fuu carefully pulled the child from her breast and lowered her into her lap as if she was a bomb that might spontaneously explode if handled carelessly. She had learned this skill after having to spend countless hours dealing with a screaming baby just because she accidentally woke her up. As soon as she had successfully placed the sleeping child on her lap, she reached for her sewing and began her work. By this time, she had created a whole new wardrobe for herself and the baby. Each garment, though made of plain, inexpensive fabric, was richly and later, excessively embroidered. Lately, she had been telling herself that sewing was her hobby and that she sat on the doorstep simply to keep an eye out for kidnappers, of whom she had an understandable, albeit irrational fear. Deep down though, she knew that she was still waiting, looking, and hoping for Mugen.

As she was about to take the first stitch, she glanced out towards the road as the sun slowly sunk directly behind it. The sunset made it difficult to see any travelers clearly, the light made them look as if they were simply black, featureless shadows in the foreground of the bright setting sun. She spotted one such shadow out of the corner of her eye and she squinted to get a better look, but she could not make them out. Her heart raced. It always did that when she saw a traveler and had not yet ruled out the possibility of it being Mugen.

_Please be him_.


	26. Chapter 26

_Could it be him? Please please please!_

Her chest and hopes quickly deflated.

_Oh. No. That one can't be him, the silouhette is all wrong. It doesn't have the outline of his crazy hair around its head, and even he isn't that tall._

Crestfallen once again, she went back to her work.

_I'm in denial aren't I? It's been a year. Jin is right._

She couldn't help thinking of the conversation they had a few months ago over tea.

_There was a pause in the chitchat, Jin lowered his cup._

_"You must remember that if he does not come, it is not because of you."_

_"You don't think he's coming do you?"_

_He was silent for a moment. "I just believe that it is not in his nature to do what you ask of him. He is a wanderer in every sense of the word, and you have asked him to stay in one place." Jin daintily put his cup to his lips._

_"But you did, and you and Mugen were exactly the same."_

_Hearing this caused Jin to involentarily spit his tea back into his cup. He coughed for a moment and then just glared off into space._

_"What I mean is, you both were wanderers with no friends and no responsibilities, and now that I think about it, you spent a good bit of time drinking, getting in fights and chasing after whores too. But you have changed, Jin."_

_"I did sacrifice some freedoms in order to provide a suitable home for my wife. I settled down because the time had come to raise a family."_

_"You don't think Mugen could ever do that?"_

_Jin took a sip of his tea and said nothing, his opinion on the matter was clear._

Her mind returned to the present, and she began to wrestle with her own common sense, as she often did when thinking about her relationship with Mugen.

_I need to just let him go. Yes, Fuu, let him go. Mugen is a scumbag and you've known that since the first time you laid eyes on him. He may be a lovable scumbag, but a scumbag none the less. Scumbags don't just drop everything and marry some girl they screwed. Mugen probably doesn't even know what marriage really means. I can just imagine what he would say - "Oh yeah, marriage is when your woman doesn't just have to put out, but she has to cook and clean for ya' too and you don't have to feel bad when she gets knocked up. Sounds almost bearable, but the thing is, it's really not my style. Not gonna happen. Just get over it, girlie." Realistically, even if he did want to, it probably wouldn't be long before I got fed up with him, and it definitely wouldn't be long before he got bored with me._

_I don't care though. That's the worst part._

_Fuu, what is wrong with you?_

_He is an asshole and you love him for it._

_You love him._

_You still love him._

Her eyes watered as she looked up at the silouette again. The sun sank further down into the horizon, but the glare still prevented her from seeing any of their features.

_They're not on the road anymore, their coming towards me across the field._

She squinted.

_Wow, they're really freakishly tall, it definitely can't be Jin or Shino and I already know it's not Mugen. Who the hell is that?_

She slipped her hand into her kimono and grasped her tanto.

_Alright mister giant, if you're a kidnapper or rapist, then you're not gonna get me with out loosing an eye or two.  
_Perhaps sensing her mother's distress, the baby began to cry. Without thinking, Fuu opened her kimono slightly and suckled the infant as she continued trying to decipher the shadow.

She blinked several times and squinted again, desparate to make out the shadow's features as it neared her. Their face and clothes were still a mystery, but she could now see their silouette in more detail. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized that it was not an extremely tall man, but in fact, a tall man with a small boy riding on his shoulders.

An excited gasp escaped her lips as she shot to her feet, carelessly allowing her sewing to tumble on to the ground. She stood smiling, still holding the child to one of her breasts.

"Hey girlie, can I suck the other tit?" the shadow called out to her.

_I guess now I can say he's not a complete scumbag, but still a complete pervert._

"How can you say something like that in front of your son?" she nagged.

"Squirt, you're gonna have ta' learn how ta' live with her bitchin, 'cause she's gonna be your new mama." he said to the boy on his shoulders, making sure to speak loud enough for Fuu to hear as well.

"Well you sure took your sweet time getting here!" she shouted back.

"Yep," he replied.

"You're such an asshole!"

"Yep."

* * *

End

* * *

If you have read this story, which you obviously have since you are now reading this messege, then I urge you to **write a review**, and please tell me what you liked or did not like about it. What did you think was more important in this story? Humor, drama, romance, plot twists, anything else? I would also like to know if you liked the ending. This criticism is very valuable to me as a developing writer. Even two word reviews are nice too!

Anonymous reviews are welcome too!

Thank you so much to all of you who provided encouragement and I want to add an extra special thank you to those who encouraged me at the very beginning, if it wasn't for you, this would have been a 900 word one-shot.

Bizarrely enough, even though this is a Fugen story, I am actually more of a Jin fan in general, but Fuu and Mugen just seemed to have better chemistry. Mugen is also more fun to write about, sleazy, morally ambiguous characters are always fun to write about, for me anyway.

Thank you again, to all the readers and fans of this story. You have provided me with untold amounts of delight, amusment and let's face it, self esteem.

Thank you so much,

Anonymousness

Ps. A sequel is a possibility.


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